There are a myriad of questions surrounding the Dallas Mavericks going into the 2023-24 NBA season. The most immediate one, however, concerns the playing status of their best player, Luka Doncic.

Mavs head coach Jason Kidd still does not have a conclusive answer, despite the Slovenian superstar practicing on Monday. But he did offer some clarity as to what needs to happen in order for Doncic to play in the team's opener on Wednesday night versus the San Antonio Spurs.

“The plan is for him to practice again tomorrow and we’ll see how he feels,” Kidd said, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. That calf injury update is not exactly going to have fans doing somersaults outside the American Airlines Center, but it is a definite step in the right direction.

Doncic picked up the injury during a team practice in Madrid earlier in the month. He is one of the most ball-dominant guards in the NBA and represented his country in the FIBA World Cup. So, naturally there will be some concern over his usage. Though, the four-time All-NBA selection has played 65 games or more in every season of his career except for 2019-20. Even if Doncic is not cleared for action before Wednesday, he is unlikely to let this issue sideline him for long.

Dallas is a bit of an enigma in what is again a deep Western Conference. Its defensive woes defined the ill-fated 2022-23 campaign and were only exacerbated after the Kyrie Irving trade. The Mavericks are hoping the tremendous offensive upside of their All-Star backcourt will easily outweigh any drawbacks that present themselves on the other side of the court.

Again, though, that is a matter that could take all season to work through. The health of Luka Doncic is the foremost priority, as the Spurs await in the Frost Bank Center.